$1.5 Million Settlement in Alabama Probation Officer's Sex Scandal
Loaded on
Feb. 15, 2009
published in Prison Legal News
February, 2009, page 2008
$1.5 Million Settlement in Alabama Probation Officer's Sex Scandal
A $1.5 million dollar settlement has been reached in a lawsuit claiming an Alabama probation officer raped a female probationer and made inappropriate sexual advances towards eleven other female probationers.
The complaint in the action made claims against probation officer Anthony Baker. His employment in that capacity was short-lived, lasting from June 14, 2004 to his termination on August 11, 2005. Baker became emboldened by his authority in early 2005.
The combination of his authority and marital problems led Baker to prey upon female probationers under his supervision for sexual favors. By March 2005, Baker reached a level of invincibility that led him to rape probationer Jeni Hodge.
When Hodge appeared for her scheduled visit at the probation office in Winston County, Baker commented on her physical appearance and made inappropriate, invasive and personal comments about her marital status. At another visit, Baker touched Hodge on the shoulder. When she jumped away and protested, Baker ordered her to take a urine test.
He then followed her to the restroom, ordered her to keep the stall door open and told her to urinate for the test. After urinating in the cup, Hodge tried to stand up but Baker trapped her in the stall. He then put his hands between her legs to prevent her from pulling up her underwear. Baker ignored her pleas to leave and he then raped her.
While Hodge’s case is the most extreme, Baker had a pattern of pushing his female probationers to have sex with him. Upon transferring from another county to Baker’s supervision, Tracee Shields was taken into custody after a traffic stop because Baker had placed a hold on her so he could meet her.
After a week in jail, Baker visited Shields, telling her he wanted to see what she looked like, which is why he placed the hold on her. He then told her she was attractive, advising her he could wait another month or get her a revocation hearing in a few days. At another meeting, he exposed and fondled his penis, asking her to expose her breasts if she wanted out of jail. When she got out of jail, Baker told her he would waive fines and urine tests for sexual favors.
He then ordered Shields to strip down to her panties and bra. Afterwards, he reached into her panties, pulled his pants down and ordered her to give him oral sex. Baker became enraged when he could not get an erection and ordered her to sit on the desk while he masturbated. Once he ejaculated, he ordered her to clean it up while in her panties and bra.
The claims of the other ten female probationers were similar in the remarks and requests of a sexual nature, of Baker exposing himself, sexually groping or touching their genitalia or breasts and doing so under threat of sending them back to jail.
On April 10, 2008, the women settled the lawsuit for $1.5 million. They were represented by Birmingham-based attorneys Ethan R. Dettling, Jon C. Goldfarb and Maury S. Weiner. See: Hodge v. Alabama, USDC, N. Dist. Alabama, Case No.: 6:06-CV-1644; 6:06-CV-2320; 6:06-CV-2321; 6:06-CV-2322; 6:06-CV-2323; 6:06-CV-2324; 6:06-CV-2325; 6:06-CV-2326; 6:06-CV-2327; 6:06-CV-2328; 6:06-CV-2329; 6:06-CV-2330; 6:07-CV-0144; 6:06-CV-0145; 6:06-CV-0146.
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